Sunday's letters: Secessionist is it again

Sunday

Feb 10, 2013 at 12:01 AM

It’s the next step in the 2013 secessionist movement. On Wednesday, South Carolina’s House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitutional Law held a hearing on H3101, otherwise known as the “nullification” bill that seeks to nullify the Affordable Care Act. Many tea party activists gave testimony, but one of the speakers, Donald Livingston of Georgia, went so far as to advocate secession during his testimony.

It’s the next step in the 2013 secessionist movement. On Wednesday, South Carolina’s House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitutional Law held a hearing on H3101, otherwise known as the “nullification” bill that seeks to nullify the Affordable Care Act. Many tea party activists gave testimony, but one of the speakers, Donald Livingston of Georgia, went so far as to advocate secession during his testimony.Mr. Livingston was invited by state Rep. Bill Chumley.It didn’t matter that Mr. Livingston later admitted he hadn’t read the bill, for as the former director of the League of the South, a neo-confederate group that supports secession from the United States, he knows what’s best for our state. Never mind that the Southern Poverty Law Center has classified the League of the South as a racist hate group.Mr. Chumley, what’s that saying — “Tell me your company, and I’ll tell you who you are”?Rick SmigelDuncan

It is inevitable that the political children of tea party stalwart Jim DeMint will run for high office, and it is no surprise to learn that state Sen. Lee Bright is thinking about throwing his hat into the ring to oppose U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham.If Sen. Bright does run, true conservatives, centrists and liberals must join together to defeat him, much as we almost defeated Gov. Nikki Haley.Sen. Bright, like Gov. Haley, is so far right that he makes Rep. Trey Gowdy seem like a flaming liberal, a scary thought indeed.Sen. Bright’s extreme record and edgy comments (on currency, warming, immigration and gun manufacturing, for example) show his intense dislike, even scorn, for the federal government, and he doesn’t appear to have too much use for state government, either. In fact, I’m convinced that he dislikes virtually all government, to my mind a strange form of loyalty.Our great state deserves better.Bill PellSpartanburg

The more I read about state Sen. Lee Bright, the more incredibly ridiculous I believe him to be. Let’s take a look at his list of suggestions and failed legislative efforts:(1) He supports nullification on some key issues, thereby rejecting established federal law.(2) He rejects medical aid for abortions in cases of rape or incest.(3) He actually supports a separate currency for South Carolina.(4) He, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary, disbelieves in global warming.(5) He feels weapons manufactured in South Carolina should be free of all federal regulations.(6) He wants our children to be taught how to shoot weapons as an “elective” in schools.(7) He has actually stated, “Just because the Supreme Court says something is constitutional, it doesn’t make it constitutional.”And now he’s actually considering trying to unseat Lindsey Graham at the federal level. At least as a state senator, he can be kept in his cage and not allowed to do any real harm, but let loose in Congress in Washington, I can only envision two scenarios: Either he’ll stall important legislation on anything worthwhile that doesn’t suit his idiotic agenda, or he will be laughed out of the chamber.I can only hope that, in the most unfortunate event he actually gets elected, it’ll be the latter. Otherwise, God help us all!